Sound for Video Session: Troubleshoot, Mobile, Richer Sound, Noise, and ADR
In this week's Sound for Video Session we run through several questions:
- How to troubleshoot
- Does the Kaotica Eyeball really reduce room reverb for recording?
- Best gear to record podcasts on the road?
- How do I make my recordings more “full-bodied”?
- What can I do when I’m recording an interview and a snow removal blower is working outside?
- Which microphone should I use for ADR?
Gear used or mentioned in this episode:
Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
Tascam DR-60DmkII Audio Field Recorder
Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd
Sound for Video Session: Clean Noisy Dialogue Sound with Adobe Audition
In this week's Sound for Video Session we run through several techniques you can use to reduce noise in very noisy dialogue sound recordings for film. We use a clip recorded on a busy urban street where we could not get as close to the interviewees as we would have liked.
Gear used to produce the short film and this episode:
Audio Technica AT4053b Hypercardioid Microphone - used this to record the interviews out on the street. Works well as long as you have a good shock mount and wind protection (see Cyclone below)
Rycote Cyclone Windshield and Shockmount - this is what prevented the wind from blowing across the microphone capsule and making that low frequency, distorted sound.
Sound Devices 633 Audio Mixer/Recorder - my go-to recorder/mixer
Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this - couldn't be happier. By far, the best audio interface I've owned)
Sound for Video Session: Ear & Shotgun Mics, Gain, Perspective, Sound to Camera, Side Lobing
In this week's Sound for Video Session we covered several questions from you:
- Recommendations for earset microphones?
- Can you use two mics placed on separate sides of a person so you can record them when they turn the other direction?
- Shotgun Microphone Recommendations?
- Setting gain for line inputs
- Sound perspective: Using a camera mic and lav at the same time
- Record with audio recorder or send audio recorder output to camera?
- Does using the side lobe of a shotgun microphone sound better than using the mic on axis?
- Where should you aim a shotgun mic - mouth, throat, or chest?
My Recent Short Film Passion Projects:
Homeless:
The Music Maker:
Gear Discussed/Used in this Episode:
Countryman E6 Earset Microphone
JK MicJ 071S Headset Microphone: http://amzn.to/2liQ055
Sennheiser ME66 Shotgun Microphone (Has recently increased in price rather dramatically)
My Microphone Meta Review (My favorites from all the mics I’ve used):
Overview of the Zoom F-Control for Zoom F4 and F8 Recorders:
Sound for Video Session: Mixing with Buses and EQ
This week we have another film mixing session where I show you a couple of basic tools for mixing in Adobe Audition: Buses and EQ.
With a bus, you can make adjustments to multiple tracks at the same time. Huge time and frustration saver. With EQ, we essentially make room in one track for another track, e.g., we reduce the midrange of the music so that dialogue is easier to hear without pulling the audio down so far that it is hard to hear.
Gear used to produce the short film and this episode:
Audio Technica AT4053b Hypercardioid Microphone - used this to record the interviews out on the street. Works well as long as you have a good shock mount and wind protection (see Cyclone below)
Rycote Cyclone Windshield and Shockmount - this is what prevented the wind from blowing across the microphone capsule and making that low frequency, distorted sound.
Sound Devices 633 Audio Mixer/Recorder - my go-to recorder/mixer
Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this - couldn't be happier. By far, the best audio interface I've owned)
Sound for Video Session: Lavalier Mics, Air Conditioning, Music Videos
This week we answered sound questions from several of you including the following:
- 3 questions about lavalier microphones
- How to deal with noise like air conditioning
- How to record/shoot music videos
Gear discussed and used to produce this episode:
RODE VXLR 3.5mm TRS to XLR Adapter
Tascam DR-70D Audio Recorder (4 inputs)
Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
Sound for Video Session: Recording Foley & Stereo Width
In this week's Sound for Video Session we discuss the fundamentals of recording foley sound and why the Zoom handy recorders allow you to change the stereo width with their in-built microphones.
Items mentioned in the session:
Foley short film - The Secret World of Foley
- RODE Stereo VideoMic Pro Review (sample stereo recording)
- Shure MV88 Review - Mid-Side and Adjustable Stereo Width Microphone Review
Gear discussed and used to produce this episode:
Aputure Deity Shotgun Microphone - This is the mic I used to record the foley for my current project. I was happy with the results.
Sound Devices 633 Mixer/Recorder - My production mixer. You don't have to have one of these to record good foley sound.
Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone - Voiceover for this session was recorded with this microphone
Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface - Voiceover for this demo was recorded with this audio interface.
Sound for Video Session: Richer Dialogue, Reporter's Mics, Lip Smacks, Recorders for Ambience
This week we answered sound questions from several of you including the following:
How can I make dialogue sound fuller?
Recommendations on “reporter’s” microphones?
Is there a faster way to remove lip smacks and other mouth noises?
Recommendations on handheld stereo recorders for capturing ambience and foley?
Gear discussed and used to produce this episode:
Sennheiser MD46 Cardioid Dynamic Reporter’s Microphone
Zoom H5 Handy Recorder (for ambience and foley)
Electrovoice RE20 Dynamic Microphone (Voiceover for this session was recorded with this)
Antelope Orion Studio Audio Interface (Voiceover for this demo was recorded with this)
Sound for Video Session: Mixing Effects for a Short Film
In this week's session, I quickly demonstrate the overall idea of mixing the sound effects for a short film. For serious projects I would definitely spend more time on the details but wanted to give you a quick example to show the basics. I hope you find it useful!
Sound for Video Session: Fix Waveform Asymmetry, Gear, Bias Power, Preamp Quality
In this week's episode we cover questions submitted by our little community on how to record and process better sound:
- How to fix asymmetric waveforms in Audition
- Recommended gear for no/low/big budget films
- Sound Devices MM1, Tascam DR-10CS and bias power
- Recording dynamic scenes
- Getting audio from FCPX to Audition
- Why is there such a big quality difference between the Zoom H6 and F8?
Here are links to some of the things we discussed in this episode:
Episode on Microphones:
Audio Recorders/Mixers:
Tascam DR-10CS (not available in the US)
XtoCC (App to convert an XML file of the audio from FCPX to a format that Audition can read):
Sound for Video Session: Wireless Hop from Mixer/Recorder to Camera with Sennheiser G3
In this week’s sound for video session we had a chat with Gregg Palmer, one of our friends and fellow sound mixers from Oregon. Gregg explains his experience using Sennheiser G3 wireless systems to send audio from your recorder/mixer to the cameras so that they also record high quality production sound.
Greg discusses the following gear:
Sennheiser G3 Wireless Lavalier System (Be sure to research whether this frequency band can be used in your local area)
Cable to Adapt from G3 Receiver to XLR input for Camera (if your camera has an XLR input)
Cable to send audio from Zoom F8 or F4 to G3 Transmitter and from G3 to camera
Sennheiser AVX Wireless Lavalier Kit (MKE2 Microphone)
Ethics statement: Some of the links above are affiliate links which means that if you click on them and buy, I get a small commission. You don't pay more by clicking these links than if you just went to the retailer’s web site on your own. I use the proceeds to buy additional gear to review and help you improve your sound, lighting, and video. Thanks for your support!
*Added 2 Jan 2017*
Mark Kirchner added additional technical information for those who would like to use this method to optimize the signal from the mixer to the transmitter:
Your guest on your G3 hop video can optimize the signal with a custom cable to turn his transmitter into a hop-transmitter that will receive a "tape level -15 dB audio signal. The wiring on the TX side should not be soldered to the tip of the TRS plug. The transmitter want to "see" a mono "unbalanced" signal, not a L/R signal like your video guest was sending it using stock TRS to TRS mini 3.5 plugs. E.T. designed this cable for me to "sum" the left/right channel(left/right mix-bus) to the G3 transmitter. The audio signal leaves the mixer as L/R unbalanced signal (tape level -15 dB). To use this tape level signal correctly it must be sent (soldered) to the "ring" of the TRS plug. If you like I will make you one for free for your Sound Devices 633 and then you can try it with a G3 TX and RX yourself.
The following are notes from a conversation with E.T. He designed this cable. I know you are not a "soldering guy" and purchase your XLR cables. It will take awhile to understand what I have written. Unity Gain, Reference Level, Gain Staging and Unbalanced/Balanced are concepts that take time, but worth the struggle to put them into the old gray matter. You might find it helpful to draw a diagram of the 2 connectors, using colored pens and different colors for each conductor.
Last, my family roots come from Grantsville Utah. There was a film made about my second cousin Kimball Johnson called "Pigweed Philosopher." Check it out it is about film-making. If you have been to Grantsville, you may have seen the old Victorian house on main street. That's the Johnson house, our family house. I saw you have not been on this sight in a while, so this letter may find you in 2017.
Best,
Mark Kirchner mkirchnersound@gmail.com
PS Thank you for interviewing "The Senator" Mike Michaels!
WIRELESS HOP from the 442 MIXER w/ SENNHEISER G3
Set-up
1. Use the Sound Devices 442 Tape/Mix out (TA3) connector.
2. Tape/Mix Out = -10 dB *
3. Use Custom E.T. Mix-Out Hop Cable**
4. Connect 442 to the G3 Tx
5. Starting recommendations from E.T.; settings for the Tx –12 dB sensitivity.
6. Set the Rx about the same and test.
*The Tape/Mix out of the 442 sends both left and right signals at a –14 dB level if the mixer is set for a "0" dBu reference level. All left channel assignments (channels 1-4 on the 442 mixer) will be “mixed” and output as a discrete “mixed left channel.” The right channel will mix all right channel assignments.
**The E.T. Hop Cable sends a unbalanced, left and right signal to a TRS connector, assigning the left and right signals to a single terminal (ring) on the TRS connector making a “summed mono signal” that the Sennheiser G3 transmitter needs for the proper signal input.
Note; The Sound Devices manual for the 442 mixer lists the maximum output level for the Tape/Mix Out as follows.
Page 24 Tape/Mix Out +6 dBu
Page 26 Block Diagram Inputs and Outputs
The schematic diagram (page 26) displays the Mic / Tape / Line as 0/-14/-40 which should be written as Mic – 40 / Tape – 14 / Line “0” .
A “Tape Level Signal” is normally –10dBu. The designation of “tape level as –14” is based on an “0” dBu reference level. The Sound Devices schematic is based on a “0 dBu” reference level (-14 dBu @ “0” reference level = -10dBu @ +4 dBu reference level).
E.T. WIRELESS HOP CABLE (Sennheiser G3)
This cable was engineered for use with the Sound Devices 442* “mix/tape out” output on the TA3 output.
TA3f Connector
Redco TGS-1 Cable (2 conductors + shield and drain)
TRS 3.5 Mini locking connector
TA3f connector (output)
Pin 1 Ground (Eric used drain wire)
Pin 2 Signal (+) red conductor (Left)
Pin 3 Return (-) clear conductor (Right)
TRS 3.5 Mini Connector **
Tip No Connection
Ring Signal and Return (+ @ -)
Sleeve Ground (drain wire)
Notes:
*The Tape/Mix out of the 442 sends both left and right signals at a –14 dB level. All left channel assignments (channels 1-4 on the 442 mixer) will be “mixed” and output as a discrete “mixed left channel.” The right channel will mix all right channel assignments.
**The E.T. Hop Cable sends an unbalanced, left and right signal to a TRS connector, assigning both left and right channels to a single terminal (ring) on the TRS connector making a “summed mono signal” that the Sennheiser G3 transmitter needs for the proper signal input.
